Great Minds
by obscureineurope
Summary: Tsukikage is given the mean to torment Masumi, and doesn't hesitate to do just that.
1. Glance

AN: Edited by the corking prettyinpinkgal.

Please enjoy this weird little tale, and yes, this is about as close to an actual plot or an IC Masumi as I'll ever come. Feel free to weep for me.

Language note: As I'm still insecure about Japanese titles and whatnot, Tsukikage will not be referred to as "Sensei", but rather as simply "Teacher". I am aware that I'm bastardising both Japanese and English, but writing "Maya-chan", "Tsukikage-sensei", etc, brings back painful memories of my dorky adolescence that I'd rather avoid. Just so you know.

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Great Minds

Chapter One – Glance

Tsukikage knew exactly who she was and what she wanted: she was the woman who was going to revive the legendary play "The Crimson Goddess". She was less certain about how she would go about achieving her goal when everything and everyone seemed to be conspiring against her, but she had a feeling that the plain girl writhing around on the floor in front of her was part of the solution.

Said plain girl, named Maya Kitajima by her unappreciative mother, had been a godsend to Tsukikage, but as far as godsends went, she was extremely high maintenance. The girl had no confidence in herself, little experience and no competitive spirit. But she had qualities that made her shine in Tsukikage's eyes, namely that she was an escapist through-and-through, frighteningly dedicated to acting and a quick learner.

But even so, the girl needed a lot of guidance, as her current performance was more than lacklustre; it was painfully amateurish. She was practising for her audition for the role of Helen Keller, a deaf and blind girl. It would've been a challenging part for anyone, but for Maya, it might have been the most difficult role she'd encountered so far. Maya's strength was emoting; her crippling weakness was her lack of technique. The way she was fumbling around the church was embarrassing. Her movements weren't like those of a blind person; they were like those of a seeing person who had simply closed her eyes.

"Come on, Helen!" Rei, acting as Annie Sullivan, said, grabbing hold of Maya's wrists. "Use your manners! Eat with your spoon! Fold your napkin!"

Maya ripped her wrists out of Rei's grip and pushed her friend back. She then scurried away, her eyes blank as she waved around her arms in front of her to feel around for obstacles.

"Don't go!" Rei shouted. "You're not done eating yet! Helen!"

Maya tripped over the uneven floorboards, stumbling to her knees. She slapped at Rei as she approached, hissing with fear and aggravation. Tsukikage pursed her lips; it was obvious that Maya'd unconsciously reacted at the sound of Rei's footsteps.

"Helen! Helen, stop it!"

Having seen enough to judge that Maya was in dire need of a wake-up call, Tsukikage took hold of a pitcher of water, raised it up into the air and then casually dropped it. The loud crash made Maya and Rei snap out of their practise, both of them gasping as they saw who'd caused the disruption.

"Teacher!" Maya cried out, hastily scrambling to her feet.

Tsukikage glanced at the shards by her feet, momentarily regretting her act of vandalism. Not only would she have to pay the priest back for the broken pitcher, but part of her skirt was completely soaked through. But as she was an actress first and foremost, even now, she felt that she would pay a far higher price to receive the awed looks her students directed at her.

"Why are you staring at me, Maya?" she demanded. "Is it because you heard the pitcher fall?"

"Huh?" Maya made an excellent audience, at least; even the slightest dramatic gesture earned a strong reaction from her.

"Aren't you supposed to be deaf?" Tsukikage brushed past her students, ignoring their concerned remarks as she retrieved a battered doll from the floor. She despised being fussed over; it made it harder for her to ignore the symptoms of her failing body.

"Helen," she cried out, waving the doll in Maya's direction, "your doll is here! Come and get it!"

After some initial hesitation, Maya's eyes dimmed and she sat down on the floor with a heavy thud. She started to feel about her for her doll, sadness and anger occasionally flitting over her otherwise detached expression. It was an interesting interpretation, but it lost whatever appeal it might have had when coupled with the girl's stilted body movements.

For the next hour, Tsukikage reprimanded her mercilessly every time she showed the slightest sign of being able to see or hear. Every flawed movement was severely criticized, and Maya was forced to redo several scenes dozens of times before her teacher grudgingly allowed her to move onto the next. Any normal girl would've run out crying after just fifteen minutes of this harsh treatment, but Maya was thick-skinned when it came to insults. She corrected herself after her teacher's orders without any comment, too focused on her task to be insulted.

Maya was a godsend, but was that enough? She was steadily improving, taking every lesson to heart, but she was so inexperienced, it would take years for Tsukikage to shape her into a proper actress. Though her lack of knowledge had been a perk in the beginning, as it'd allowed Tsukikage to mould the impressionable girl however she'd wished, the veteran actress now realized that her own body wasn't up to the task.

Tsukikage felt the limits of her endurance with unbearable clarity at the end of Maya's "rehearsal". She and her protégée were both exhausted, gasping for breath as sweat trickled down their temples. Despite feelings as though her lungs and throat had been scraped raw, Tsukikage cried out another order:

"One more time! Now you play by yourself as Helen!"

Maya was startled by her suggestion, and her confused expression made Tsukikage's jaw clench. She really had no idea what Tsukikage wanted of her, and it made the aged actress realize that she'd been mistaken to place so much faith in her. The quality of Maya's performances were too erratic, her talent too unpolished for her to be the sole contender for the Crimson Goddess.

"If you can't even do that," she said, her voice made raspy by a solid hour of shouting and coughing, "then it's clear that you don't know how Helen's life was like. And if you don't know how she lived from day to day, you can't understand her behaviour."

Another reason as to why Tsukikage had taken Maya under her wing was because she was naturally emotive. She didn't hide her feelings like others did; rather, she communicated her emotional state with her entire body, whether she wanted to or not.

Tsukikage, however, didn't suffer from this handicap, and therefore remained outwardly indifferent at her student's hurt and confusion. She even smiled, as she knew that Maya was that rare sort of person that thrived in difficulty. Whatever happened, whatever damage she sustained, she always came back stronger. Tsukikage could see herself in that aspect of Maya's personality.

Tsukikage's musings were interrupted as she was wracked by a coughing fit so powerful, she nearly doubled over.

"That's enough!" Rei said, her voice tinged with panic as she supported her teacher's trembling form. "Please, let me handle this!"

"Yes," a cold, distant voice spoke, "why do you always push yourself so hard?"

That voice, which belonged to her worst enemy, brought Tsukikage right out of her dizzy spell. She pushed Rei aside, erasing the signs of her exertion, refusing to let a man like Masumi Hayami see her weakness.

Like always, Masumi was completely devoid of expression and smoking like a chimney. Tsukikage had long ago learnt that Eisuke's heir only showed emotion when he had something to gain by it, and even then, the feelings he demonstrated weren't his own. She supposed she should be impressed by a man that could put on such a convincing act, but she only felt disgust. Acting for the sake of monetary gain and manipulation was sacrilege to her, a perversion of something that should be beautiful and selfless.

"I checked the hospital," Masumi continued, ignoring the fact that he was about as welcome as a cockroach, "but you weren't there. You know," Masumi tapped the ash from his cigarette off onto the church floor, "if it weren't for your penchant to run off whenever the nurses turn around, I'm sure you would've already been discharged."

Maya looked as though she wanted to comment on Masumi's indelicate wording, but the fight was nipped in the bud by a sudden cacophony of car horns.

Tsukikage's mouth went dry; in her experience, nothing good ever came out of cacophonies.

She strode outside, and was greeted by a parade of construction vehicles. One of the construction workers stuck his head out of his truck, and called out, pointing at Masumi's sleek black car:

"That car is blocking our way. Please park it somewhere else."

"What's going on here?" Tsukikage shouted, her chest constricting with apprehension.

"Oh," the construction worked hopped out of his truck and approached Tsukikage, "you don't know? We're tearing down the church."

"_What_?" Maya ran to Tsukikage's side, mirroring her mentor's shocked expression.

The construction worker scratched his neck, discomfited by the women's forceful reactions. "This church doesn't exactly draw a crowd anymore, so the new caretaker wants to rebuild it in a modern style."

"The new caretaker?" Maya mumbled, leaning against Rei, who slung an arm around her friend's shoulder.

"He's here, if you want to meet him." Without waiting for a reply, the construction worker bellowed out, "OI! Preacher! There's someone here who wants to talk to you!"

After a few more beckoning cries, the new caretaker appeared, clearly displeased by the brusque summons. He was a stern-faced man, and Tsukikage knew exactly what sort of a person he was when he glanced down his nose at her, as she'd received that look hundreds of times before. He believed that everyone, without exception, should follow the same path, and that those who strayed from it deserved little to no sympathy. Apparently, the preacher didn't feel that poor actors lead a respectable life style, which was an unforgivable offence.

"I heard about you," he said, and it was clear that he hadn't liked what he'd been told, "but I can't lend this place for your acting practises anymore."

Life had taught Tsukikage to prepare for the worst, no matter how pleasant the present was. But after she'd lost her fortune, her theatre and her reputation, she'd thought she'd hit rock bottom, and so foolishly had let her guard down. The news that her pupil would lose the one place she could practice, that she would lose her chance at playing Helen, hit her harder than she should've let it.

"Ugh!" She groaned as her heart gave a nasty throb. The pain of her constricting chest drove her to her knees, where she gasped for breath.

Her vision started to fade as her students cried out with alarm. A strong arm encircled her body to keep her from slamming into the ground, and the last thing she heard before she passed out was:

"Stay calm. She'll live; I'll make sure of it."

Only Masumi Hayami could speak so dispassionately while cradling a collapsed woman in his arms.

OXOXO

Tsukikage always became frustrated when she was confined to a hospital bed. But now that she only had her own carelessness to blame for her confinement, as well as Masumi to thank for getting her help so quickly, she was extremely peeved. The vice-president wasn't making the situation anymore endurable for her by growling:

"What did I say before? Now you have to stay here longer."

He put a cigarette to his lips, but discarded any hope of lighting it when a nurse gave him a sour glare and menacingly tapped a "No Smoking" plaque. He was easily forgiven, however, as he smiled charmingly and mouthed "Sorry". Maya and Rei exchanged an annoyed glance; that same nurse had scolded them just for dropping a napkin on the floor.

"Don't you regret that I didn't die?" Tsukikage drawled. She was a middle-aged, bedridden woman; it would be common decency to just leave her to her misery, rather than intensifying it by lecturing her like a child.

But Masumi didn't have any common decency, and proved this by laughing at her rebuke.

"I'm used to sarcasm," he said. "Especially from this shorty."

He nodded at Maya as he spoke, who reacted as any overwrought teenager would at being slighted:

"But it's true, isn't it? Go home! You always bring bad luck with you!"

"Be quiet! Patients need peace and quiet in here!" the nurse, rather hypocritically, shouted at Maya.

Maya drew back, baring her teeth in mortification before she bowed to the nurse, sheepishly murmuring "I'm very sorry".

"Now you're bothering them too, eh?" Masumi chuckled, bending down his head so that he could get a better view of Maya's embarrassed grimace.

Tsukikage rolled her eyes, and was about to tell Masumi that he should at least let her poor protégée be when she saw something that robbed her of her voice:

Masumi was staring at Maya with undeniable adoration. His slight, thoughtless smile all served to strengthen the impression, as it was such a stark change from how he usually presented himself. Tsukikage could tell that his affectionate expression was genuine, as he had absolutely nothing to gain by making it.

The smile only lasted for a second, before Masumi's features returned to their usual indifferent arrangement. He probably hadn't even noticed making it, as he sounded completely normal when he said:

"Well, I should be off. Don't worry your students by running off anymore, Tsukikage. Shorty's got her plate full already."

Maya rolled her eyes, feeling that it was a bit rich that Masumi was talking about not bothering her unnecessarily, when he indulged in that very same activity just for kicks. But, as she'd no wish to be admonished for being loud again, she said nothing, nodding curtly as Masumi bid her goodnight. She'd apparently taken the wrong approach, as Masumi merely laughed at her sullen silence.

"How _annoying_ can you possibly _get_?" Maya hissed, gnashing her teeth at the vice-president. Her mood took a 180 degree turn as she swivelled around to face Tsukikage, going from being livid to becoming anxious. "Are you alright, Tsukikage? You're not still in pain, are you?"

It took Tsukikage some time to answer her student's question, as she'd yet to process what she'd just seen:

"I'm... I'm fine, Maya. There's nothing to worry about. You and Rei just go home, before you miss the last train."

Maya was put-off by the sudden dismissal, but could read her teacher well enough to see that she wanted to be alone.

"Alright," she said, linking her arm with Rei's. "We'll see you tomorrow, Teacher."

"We'll sort everything out," Rei promised, "so there's no need for you to do anything but to recover your strength."

Tsukikage fondly parted with her students, waiting until they were out of sight before she let her gut wrenching anxiety show.

Why was _Masumi Hayami_ giving her underage protégée looks of affection? What _right_ did he have to do so? He'd nearly destroyed the girl's career, he tormented her every chance he got, and he still _dared_ to look at her like that?

_I must be mistaken,_ Tsukikage told herself, twisting her blanket around her hands. _It's simply not possible for him, of all people, to feel anything for Maya. She's just a child, after all. I must be mistaken. _

But Tsukikage was incapable of fooling herself; it was her habit to confront her troubles head-on, rather than to ignore their existence. So she went through her memories of Masumi, analyzing his attitude and behaviour in order to unearth some clue as to why he'd looked at Maya like that.

While Tsukikage made it a rule to fraternize as little with the enemy as possible, she'd had a chance to observe Masumi under normal circumstances, before he'd announced his intentions to take "The Crimson Goddess" from her. He'd instantly struck her a perpetually serious, calculating man. She hadn't been able to discern anything else about his personality; it was as though behind that personable exterior, there was absolutely nothing else to behold. He only showed what others wanted to see. Why would a man like that attach himself to a girl like Maya, to whom all forms of subterfuge was alien?

But that was just it, she realized: Maya couldn't lie to save her life, and she couldn't tell when she was being deceived. Someone as easily influenced as her would be the ideal prey for a professional manipulator like Masumi.

Tsukikage bit down hard, so furious that she was shaking.

_It isn't enough that his father drove Ichiren to commit suicide,_ she thought, _or that he destroyed my theatre just to make a statement; now he's out to ruin Maya too?_

She rose to her feet and started pacing, clenching and unclenching her hand. The nurse was about to instruct her to lie down again, but changed her mind when she saw Tsukikage's stormy expression.

_Unforgivable!_ the aged actress thought, digging her nails deep into her palm._ I __refuse__ to let him place so much as a __finger__ on her! I'll kill him if he dares to speak a single suggestive word to her!_

After a few minutes of intense pacing, Tsukikage had come up with five ways to murder the vice-president of Daito, three ways to dispose of his body and one way to make sure he was never going to be able to so much as glance at Maya without her approval. While Masumi's reputation was hardly the best, he had an image to uphold. He couldn't let his weaknesses show, or they would be mercilessly taken advantage of.

Tsukikage smirked, her fury replaced by malicious pleasure. Finally, after decades of waiting, she would be able to strike back at her tormentors and make them experience the same kind of pain they'd inflicted on her.

_It's only fair,_ she thought, as she climbed back into her bed, _that he should be dealt with using his own methods._

She slept more peacefully that night than she had in years, dreaming of her triumphant revenge.

OXOXO

Masumi knew exactly who he was and what he wanted: he was the man that was going to avenge Aya Fujimura's death by sabotaging the revival of "The Crimson Goddess". Or that was what he'd intended to be, but he'd found that playing the part of the avenger was a dirty, thankless position, and that getting the rights to the legendary play was nigh impossible, as the most stubborn woman in the world currently possessed the rights to it.

Said pigheaded woman, named Tsukikage by her late mentor, had just finished interrupting the Artist Award ceremony with the announcement that she wanted Ayumi to become a candidate for the Crimson Goddess. Ayumi had, of course, gladly accepted the offer, and "The Crimson Goddess" was as far out of his grasp as it'd ever been before. If Maya'd been the sole candidate, he would've been able to strong-arm the rights from her at Tsukikage's death, as she knew little of the financial side of the entertainment world. Ayumi was far shrewder than her rival when it came to such matters, and she would easily be able to find a different sponsor if Tsukikage told her to steer clear of Daito.

Though he tried to convince himself that this was all that bothered him about Tsukikage's sudden change of heart, he knew that a large part of his displeasure stemmed from the treatment of the first candidate: Maya Kitajima.

Masumi had never met someone who was so easy to figure out, yet managed to be so bloody enigmatic. She truly was a normal, shy girl, yet it was a fact that she'd just won the Best Supporting Actress Award, despite having been an actress for the small span of three years. Beyond that, she'd performed with a 40 degree fever, improvised an entire play and learnt to disconnect her sight and hearing through sheer willpower. There were times when Masumi suspected that she wasn't entirely human, as it should be scientifically impossible for such a small body to house such a huge paradox.

But maybe he didn't have any right to comment on the subject of split personalities, as he seemed to suffer from the same ailment. He'd caused the Tsukikage Theatre to disband, yet he was the one who'd given Maya a place to practise for the Helen audition when the church she usually used for that purpose was demolished.

He honestly didn't know what he felt for Maya. He admired her drive and enjoyed teasing her, but reasoned that all he'd done to help her under the guise of "Purple Rose", he'd merely done out of guilt. It was the first time one of his schemes had demanded such a young victim, so it was only natural that he should want to do something to make up for the damage he'd caused. It didn't mean that he cared for her or anything equally ridiculous; it just meant that despite his efforts to eradicate it, he still had a conscience.

But while he was half-convinced that he only had a bizarre sense of duty to her, he still felt bothered as he watched Tsukikage command Maya to better herself. There'd been no "Congratulations on winning", "I'm proud of you", or even a polite "I'm about to make a shocking announcement, so prepare yourself". That was what annoyed Masumi so greatly about Tsukikage: she didn't have to prove anything to anyone, yet she always chose to act in such a brusque, overly-dramatic manner. She was more or less the legal guardian of a fragile teenage girl; some delicacy was in order.

After Tsukikage was finished with Maya, she approached Masumi. He forced himself to smile, and though he wanted to begin the conversation with the line "You know you're absolutely mad, right?", he felt that a little discretion went a long way:

"It seems that we're too late this time. I was hoping to obtain the licence to 'The Crimson Goddess'."

While it was a relatively straightforward statement, Tsukikage didn't answer him immediately. She looked him up and down in a pensive manner, as though she was sizing him up. Masumi had a sudden sense of foreboding; there was a distinctly unpleasant gleam in the aged actress's eyes.

"... For whose sake?" she finally spoke, her lips curled into a smirk.

"I'm sorry?"

Once again, Tsukikage refrained from explaining herself. Instead, she did something unprecedented: she took hold of his arm, pressing it against her side. She gestured at her protégée, who was awkwardly posing with her award in front of a crowd of photographers, and asked him:

"What do you feel about Maya, Masumi?"

Masumi's sense of foreboding grew to an alarming size, but he casually commented:

"I feel that she has the potential to be a great actress, but that it'll take a lot of work for that to happen."

"That's all?" Tsukikage said, sounding surprised.

"_Yes_," Masumi snapped, "that's all. Why are you asking me this? I have better things to do than to have a pointless chat about your student, Tsukikage."

"There's nothing pointless about this conversation. I just wanted to gauge exactly how great a liar you really are."

"And what conclusion did you come to?"

"... You really are a magnificent liar. If I hadn't happened to see that one second of weakness, I would've never suspected the truth about you. I would've never known..."

She broke off, her grip tightening on his arm. Her expression lost its former joviality, her lips set in a grim frown.

"Tsukikage?" Masumi was so surprised by the former actress's display of emotion, he reached out and touched her hand. "What's wrong?"

Tsukikage looked up at him, and Masumi was taken aback by the intensity of her gaze.

"If you ever hurt Maya again," she told him, "if you ever so much as touch her, I will make you suffer so much, you will wish you were dead."

Masumi drew in a breath, impressed by the delivery and overwhelmed by the animosity, but soon found his voice:

"Is there any particular reason for why you're making this ridiculous and ineffective threat?"

"I never make a threat I can't enforce. You see, I know something about you that would cause you quite a bit of trouble."

"By all means: enlighten me. The suspense is driving me mad."

Tsukikage smiled, adjusted her hold on Masumi's arm and said:

"You're in love with Maya."

Masumi momentarily forgot how to breathe, his whole body taken over by shock. Once his senses returned, his ripped his arm from Tsukikage's grip and hissed:

"You're _insane_!"

His outcry attracted some unwanted attention, but he didn't even acknowledge his surroundings; he was completely focused on Tsukikage, all of his mental faculties dedicated towards discrediting her claim.

"There's no need to shout," Tsukikage said, unperturbed by Masumi's insult. "There are a lot of witnesses here; do you want to show all of them the chink in your armour?"

Masumi's jaw clenched, but as letting the aged actress rile him would serve no other purpose than to give her what she wanted, he forced himself to calm down before he replied:

"Forgive me for raising my voice, but boldfaced lies always make me lose my temper. Why would you say something as an absurd as that? You should know, more than anyone, that I am incapable of feeling something like that."

"Oh," Tsukikage made a dismissive gesture, "I know you to be quite incapable of experiencing any selfless emotion. I just said that to get your attention. I do, however, believe you to be fully capable of succumbing to a number of base urges, such as the lust for dominating someone completely."

The accusation affected Masumi more than he should've let it, but as he'd buried his feelings down so deep that he himself could hardly acknowledge them, he'd never expected anyone else to find out about them. Though he knew he should laugh at Tsukikage, he became enraged:

"I think you should be _very_ careful about what you choose to insinuate about me. There's no need to turn our feud into a personal vendetta."

"That's exactly the sort of thing a felon would say to avoid his own guilt," Tsukikage said.

Throughout his life, Masumi'd been provoked countless of times, but he'd hardly ever lost his temper. But to more or less be called a paedophile was more than he could bear. He advanced on Tsukikage, about to tell her exactly what he thought of her when his path was impeded by the worst possible obstacle: Maya.

She slid in between him and Tsukikage, drawing herself up and staring him right in the eyes. While she wasn't the least bit threatening, Masumi drew back with a start.

"Stop bothering Teacher," she commanded, her eyebrows giving off a twitch, as though she was looking at something disgusting.

Whatever Masumi felt at Maya's interference, he was able to hide as he saw Tsukikage grin smugly. He quenched his anger, injecting a sizeable portion of sarcasm into his voice as he said:

"While your towering 150 cm puts the fear of god into me, I'll have to ask you to leave the conversation. You've absolutely nothing to do with it."

"I won't let you bully her!" Masumi nearly winced at Maya's high-pitched cry, as it carried across the room and reminded him that she was so _very_ young. "And I'm 153!"

"As admirable as your height and sense of civic duty is," Masumi said, "I'm not bullying your teacher. She's the one who's bothering me with baseless assumptions."

"You're free to waste your energy refuting it," Tsukikage said, motioning her disciple to move aside, "but I'll still know the truth and have no qualms about shouting it out to the world. Now what are you going to do? Are you going to keep denying it and force me to give another announcement, or will you agree to discuss it in a more private setting?"

Any hope Masumi'd had of denouncing Tsukikage's claim was crushed right then and there. Tsukikage was fully prepared for battle, while he was completely defenceless.

_The element of surprise is a very effective weapon,_ he reflected bitterly.

"So you would stoop this low," he said, "just to get back at me?"

That seemed to hit a nerve; Tsukikage went pale, her voice frosty as she said:

"It was you and your father's shameful behaviour that started this. I'm not doing anything that you haven't had coming for a long time."

"So speaks a felon trying to cover up her guilt," Masumi said, giving Tsukikage a sharp smile.

Tsukikage pursed her lips, but had to admit that she was impressed by Masumi's stylish recovery. Then again, he was probably used to having his integrity questioned in public places.

"So when would you like to have this 'discussion'?" Masumi continued, acting as though he was scheduling a business meeting. "I seem to have misplaced my secretary, so I can't give you an exact time, but name a date and I will try to squeeze you in."

"I'll let you choose the day," Tsukikage said. "You should be allowed to prepare your case, however hopeless it is."

"How kind of you," Masumi said, his words contradicted by his scowl. "Well, I've no reason to stay here any longer and every reason to leave, so goodbye. I wish you both the best of luck in your careers."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked into the crowd in search of the one person who could help him cope with this disaster. Tsukikage watched him go, so satisfied by the results of the confrontation that she felt a rush of euphoria course through her. She nearly jumped as she felt Maya touch her arm; she'd been so caught up in her triumph, she'd forgotten her student's presence.

"Are you alright, Tsukikage?" Maya asked her.

Tsukikage smiled at her student, returning her touch.

"I feel wonderful," she said, enjoying the open-mouthed stare Maya gave her.

"Ah... um, g-good," Maya stammered, caught off guard by her teacher's uncharacteristically cheery behaviour. "But... are you really going to meet with Hayami?"

"Yes," Tsukikage confirmed, "but don't worry; I'm sure I'll have the upper hand."

Maya dearly wanted to interrogate Tsukikage about the meaning behind that sentence, but lost her chance when Rei arrived with the question:

"What did Hayami want with you, Tsukikage?"

"Nothing. I wanted something from him, and I'd be very surprised if I don't get it. In fact," Tsukikage's smiled widened, a strange glint entering her eye, "I'd be very surprised if Masumi Hayami will ever be able to bother us again."

Maya and Rei exchanged a worried glance, but knew that they could get nothing out of Tsukikage when she was in such an enigmatic mood. They decided to just let it go and trust that teacher wouldn't do anything illegal.

Sometimes, trust is incredibly misplaced.

OXOXO

"What's wrong, sir?"

Mizuki studied her boss's expression, which was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. She'd known that something bad had happened when he'd dragged her out of the party hours before he was scheduled to leave it, but it wasn't until they'd gotten into the car that she realized the full extent of his anxiety. His expression was pinched, his entire body tense, his gaze restlessly flitting from the interior of the car to the scenery outside. This worried Mizuki, as Masumi _never_ got tense; it was a sign of weakness and a waste of energy.

"... Can I trust you to be discreet?" he finally said, his voice matching his body language perfectly.

"Of course, sir," Mizuki assured him. "I'm your secretary; you can trust me with anything."

A small smile flashed across Masumi's lips. "I sincerely hope so. But I can't put my faith in trust alone. If I'm to entrust you with a secret, I have to use threats to make sure you won't divulge it."

"Well, that seems a little excessive to me, but I understand that a man of your position has to be careful about who he confides in. Please, go ahead."

"Thank you for understanding." Masumi cleared his throat before he continued, "If you ever break my trust in this matter, I'll make sure you'll spend the rest of your life in impoverished obscurity. Do you still wish to be my confidante?"

"Though your threat is frightening, it doesn't scare me, as I don't intend to give you any reason to implement it. Please, sir," she touched his shoulder, "tell me what's troubling you."

Masumi covered his eyes with his hand, laughing soundlessly. "It's so _ridiculous_, you'll probably smack me for getting you involved in it. And the worst thing is that I've only myself to blame."

He beckoned Mizuki closer, glancing at the driver's seat; it would be inconvenient if anymore of his staff overheard him talking about his private affairs. His put his mouth next to Mizuki's ear and said, his voice quivering slightly:

"I think... I think Tsukikage's going to blackmail me."

Sometimes, Mizuki wondered if Masumi had been cursed as a child; there really was no other explanation for why he always ended up in such bloody bizarre situations.


	2. Blackmail

AN: Edited by the fantastic prettyinpinkgal.

... You might remember me saying that this story would probably contain my most IC portrayal of Masumi? If you do, then erase this blatant lie from your memory.

When I wasn't looking, this story turned into a bit of a metaphysical affair. It's more like, "This is what the characters could have been like at this point in time and under these circumstances" than anything else.

Also, I think I might've made the moral of this story, "Adults suck". This was not my intention.

* * *

Chapter Two– Blackmail

Two days after Tsukikage'd cornered Masumi at the Actors Award ceremony, said man invited her to speak with him at Daito Art Production's headquarters. She was received in the lobby by his secretary, Mizuki, who escorted her to one of the lavish waiting rooms. Masumi smiled at her as she entered, his voice smooth and impersonal as he said:

"I'm so glad you could come on such short notice, Tsukikage. Please, have a seat."

Tsukikage took Masumi up on his offer, sitting down on the plush sofa he'd gestured at.

"I was surprised at your early summons," Tsukikage told him, smoothing down the skirt of her dress. "I thought you'd spend at least a week trying to come up with some underhanded strategy."

"Nonsense," Masumi said, courteously pouring up a cup of tea for Tsukikage before he sat down on a chair opposite her. "It'd be a waste of time to think up strategies to counterattack a fictional claim. Besides, I had you to think of. After all, 'if it were done, when 'tis done, then twere well it were done quickly'."

Tsukikage ignored his slight, saying:

"But I'm even more surprised by the fact that you found it in yourself to get a confidante," she nodded at Mizuki. "Tell me, what threat did he use to ensure your silence?"

Mizuki started at the address, but Masumi spoke before she could attempt to answer it:

"If she ever betrays me, I'll make sure she ends up alone and penniless. Now, while I'm sure it makes you feel very clever to point out all of my glaringly obvious faults, I'd like to get this farce over with as fast as possible. Mizuki, check book."

His secretary took out a pen and a check book from seemingly nowhere, handing them to her boss before she returned to her post by his chair.

"This isn't an admission," Masumi said as he filled in the check, "of anything but my belief that you will go to any length to cause me inconvenience, even if you're forced to use your protégée as a weapon to accomplish it. Here," he ripped out the check and presented it to Tsukikage, "take this, buy yourself a little theatre and leave me be."

Tsukikage's eyebrows rose as she read the sum Masumi was prepared to give her. "Your peace of mind is worth this much to you?"

"My time is worth this much to me. I don't mind rumours, but if someone were to accuse me of trying to romance a minor, I would have to address the charges."

"Makes sense," Tsukikage admitted, before tearing the check up into confetti. "But really," she strew the torn paper onto the floor, "you didn't think that this was going to be about money, did you?"

"... No. But hope springs eternal. However," Masumi lit a cigarette, "if money won't appease you, then I'll have to ask you on what grounds you're accusing me of being interested in your student. I'm not prepared to humour you if it'll take some actual effort on my part. But then again," he smirked, "maybe I shouldn't bother asking for proof, as I know you have none."

"It's true that I don't have anything conclusive," Tsukikage said, plopping a lemon slice into her tea, "as this is, naturally, a one-sided attraction. But I do know that you want Maya," her lips pursed in distaste, "and that is enough."

"That's all?" Masumi laughed, shaking his head. "You come in here with the most ludicrous accusation I've ever encountered, and you think you can get away with it just because 'you know'? Get out; I don't want to waste any more of my time listening to idiocy."

Tsukikage remained calm in the face of Masumi's reprimand, stirring her tea serenely. "It's in your best interest to hear what I have to say. I don't have any tangible evidence, but I have logic on my side. You see," she blew on her tea before taking a sip, "you're a shrewd opportunist, Masumi. You only act in a manner that's beneficial, and you never waste your time with emotions that will amount into nothing."

Masumi sighed, slumping back into his chair. "Again: I've got better things to do than to hear you point out flaws I make no effort to hide. Skip the dramatic exposition and get to the point."

"Very well," Tsukikage said, miffed that her pacing had been disrupted. "I'll be blunt: if you only do what's profitable, you've no reason to look at Maya with adoration, as it would only serve to disgust her and put you in an awkward position. Yet that's exactly what you, the Demon of Daito, did: you looked at her with affection."

Masumi's face lost all hint of expression. After a moment, he spoke:

"So that's what you're basing your accusations on: I smiled at Kitajima for no particular reason?"

"For a man who never lets his guard down," Tsukikage said, "that's more than enough."

"Do you have any evidence of this supposed smile? A photograph, perhaps?"

"It only lasted for a second. I hardly had time to react to it, let alone take a picture of it."

"So the only proof you prepared against me is the biased eyewitness account of a bitter woman who hates me?"

"I'm hardly biased. Do you think I _want_ you to look at Maya like that? It sickens me."

Masumi rose from his seat, taking the cigarette from his mouth. He leaned over the coffee table, putting down his palms on it, his voice steady and cold as he told Tsukikage:

"The only reason as to why I accepted this meeting was because I felt sorry for you. This is obviously some bizarre attempt to get back at me, and I will not pretend that I haven't deserved it. But that you'd come in here, spout a bunch of nonsense and then expect me to swallow it without a single shred of evidence to support it is not only asinine; it's insulting."

He pushed himself upright, and took a drag from his cigarette before he said:

"Get out. I've nothing to fear from you, other than having any more of my time wasted. No one will believe you."

Tsukikage just smiled, dipping a biscuit into her tea. "That's not entirely true. There's one person who I'm certain will believe me."

Masumi was about to ask her to vacate the building again, when he realized who Tsukikage was referring to. He therefore kept quiet, preventing his anxiety from showing by occupying himself with his cigarette.

"Maya hangs onto my every word," Tsukikage declared self-confidently. "I'm the one person who's ever shown any faith in her, and she trusts me absolutely. If I tell her that you're attracted to her, she'll believe me, even if there's no conclusive evidence. Just imagine her expression: how horrified, no, how _violated_ she'd be by the mere notion. A man she hates, a man nearly twice her age, thinks about her like _that_." She shivered, an expression of utter disgust on her face. "Her skin would crawl at the prospect of even being in the same room as you. Her stomach would turn at your approach, she'd flinch at your tou—"

"Stop."

Though Masumi stood with his back turned to her, Tsukikage could tell by his rigid posture that he'd been disturbed by her narrative. She smiled, rewarding herself with another biscuit while she waited for Masumi's rebuttal.

"I..." Masumi slowly turned, his brow furrowed. "I have no wish to further alienate a Crimson Goddess candidate. I don't want to decrease my chances of getting the rights to your play any more than I already have."

"You don't need to worry about that. Daito has never been anything but the very last resort. Nothing will change that. Besides, being the charitable girl that she is, she'd probably even feel sorry for you. Surely, that would only be beneficial for you, if you truly don't care about her opinion one way or the other?"

Masumi didn't answer her question, unconsciously biting down on the filter of his cigarette. He'd hoped that he'd be able to negate Tsukikage's claims with either money or logic, but saw the elderly actress would settle for nothing less than complete surrender.

"... It's extremely annoying," he said, grinding out his cigarette in an ashtray, "that you'd be able to inconvenience me so much with such flimsy evidence. But it's downright intolerable," he sat down again, propping his foot up on his knee, "that I'm forced to let you do so."

"Then you admit your crime?" Tsukikage inquired.

"I do not," Masumi growled, "and I never will, as I don't make it a habit to lie for the benefit of my enemies. You're free to demonize me, but don't expect me to accommodate your base fantasies. All I've ever felt for your student was pity and amusement. As she's completely harmless and can cause me no pain, I unwisely allowed myself to enjoy her company. A side effect of this carelessness is that I don't want her to view me as a criminal. So yes, I'll go along with your melodramatic revenge, but only until I've cured myself of this weakness. Once it's gone, my charity will come to an end. Is that clear?"

"That's fine," Tsukikage said, not the least bit impressed. "I'll only be in need of your 'charity' for a short while. But now that we've got your disturbances sorted out, I have a contract I'd like you to sign."

She took out a piece of paper from a leather purse by her side.

"I wrote it up before the Actor's Award ceremony," she said, smiling. "It is, more or less, a strict code of conduct that you're to follow to the letter when you're in Maya's presence. Shall I read it to you?"

Before Masumi could say, "I'd rather you didn't", Tsukikage began her reiteration:

"You're not to touch her under any circumstances. You're not to speak to her unless you have something useful to divulge or if she addresses you. Do you understand?"

"... Perfectly."

"Good; then I can make my next demand: I want to hand over Maya to Daito."

Masumi had resigned himself remain passive at Tsukikage's demands in an effort to conserve his energy and calm down, but he couldn't help but react to that:

"I'm... I'm sorry?" He caught himself, replacing his surprised gape with a smirk. "You would give your student to Daito, despite your appalling view of me? You have a cold heart."

"I'm doing this for her benefit. She needs more than I alone can offer her: connections, space to practise, publicity. Thanks to you, I no longer have any influence or capital. It's only right that you should make up for the damage you've caused, right?"

"I've always been bored by ethical discussions," Masumi said drily. "Leave them out and just tell me the facts: what are the terms of this employment?"

"Pragmatic to the last, I see. Good for you. The first condition is that you're not to be alone with her under any circumstances."

"Easily arranged. Next."

"I'm to attend the contract signing, and you're not to make any major decisions about her career without receiving my permission."

"I can agree to the first condition, but you'll have to give a clearer definition of the second. What is considered to be a 'major decision'?"

"I want authority over what roles she accepts and what ad campaigns she takes part in. Is that clear enough?"

"It's clear in definition, but not in intent. I understand why you would want control over her theatrical career, but publicity has never been your strong suit. Why should you want dominion over that?"

"Because I don't want you to turn her into a gimmick. She's an actress, and not a product; I refuse to let you market her as one. Besides," she smirked at Masumi, "if I let you have sole control over any aspect of her career, you might start getting... unfavourable ideas."

Masumi clenched his fist, but didn't rise to the bait:

"It's extremely inconvenient, but very well. I trust that you have enough judgement not to deprive your student of publicity just to make an invalid point about substance over style."

"I suppose that to you, all substance is invalid. The only thing that matters is the surface of things, isn't that so?"

"I wouldn't take it quite that far, but as people often make long term judgements based on their first impression of someone, appearances do count for something."

Tsukikage just looked at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "It really is grotesque that someone like _you_, someone so hollow, could ever dare to feel anything for Maya. I don't care if your feelings are platonic or not; nothing could ever excuse them. You've caused her so much misery, yet you're still arrogant enough to think that you can have a relationship with her?"

When Masumi didn't respond, Tsukikage just pursed her lips, placing the handwritten contract in front of the vice-president.

"Sign it," she commanded, "and I'll leave. I'll let you take care of the arrangements concerning Maya's entry into Daito's employ."

After looking through the contract and confirming its contents with his own eyes, Masumi signed it with a beautiful flourish.

"I suppose that this contract is purely symbolical," he said, handing it back to Tsukikage. "It's not legally binding, after all."

Tsukikage shrugged, ignoring the hand he held out to her. "I just thought that it would be convenient for you to have a copy of the rules on you at all times, so that you don't accidentally break any of them."

The prospect of having to carry the contract on his person made Masumi nauseous, but he folded it up and tucked it into the inner pocket of his suit jacket without objection.

"And it's done," he said, his tone flavourless. "Congratulations on making such a smooth transition into the criminal world; I'm sure your career as a blackmailer will be long and illustrious."

Tsukikage held her head up high as she slowly rose to her feet.

"Ah," she said, "the sound of a useless dog barking. Do you really think that _you_, of all people, can make me feel guilty about this? I'm doing this to protect my student from a predator."

Despite the circumstances, Masumi smirked. "Are you sure that's all?"

"... Not entirely, I suppose. Since Daito came into the picture, I've been at a constant disadvantage. If one were to live by your philosophy, isn't it natural to strike at your enemy's weakness without hesitation?"

"Yes," Masumi said, his smile fading, "but it isn't your philosophy."

"You're right. I'd never be able to follow such a petty, small-minded doctrine. This is, as you put it, 'a melodramatic revenge'. Did you really think that you could hurt so many people, for so little reason, without it coming back to haunt you? That just because you've got power and money, you can do whatever you please, without having to care about the consequences?"

She stared down at Masumi with intense contempt and said:

"You really are just like your father, down to the last detail."

As she turned away from him immediately after her delivery, she didn't catch the way his eyes widened or how the colour drained from his face.

"Well," Tsukikage said, "I've no reason to stay and every reason to leave, as a pitiful man once said."

She strode towards the door, confident that she wouldn't be called back, when Masumi did just that:

"Wait a minute. I have something to ask you."

While peeved that her dramatic exit had been interrupted, Tsukikage faced him. "Go ahead."

She noted that while his complexion was pale, his voice was as controlled as ever:

"As you're giving your student to me because you haven't the means to support her, I'm guessing the same goes for you. You've a heart condition and you've worked exclusively with theatre all your life; the job market isn't exactly jumping to its feet to accommodate you."

"Where's this going?"

"Simply to this: do you want a job?" When he saw that Tsukikage was too surprised to answer him, he continued, "My father has an acting studio where only the elite can come to study. As its curriculum is just as challenging for the teachers as it is for the students, the studio has suffered from a lack of staff for some time now. I'm sure he'd rejoice at hearing that I've not only managed to find a teacher, but that the teacher is none other than Chigusa Tsukikage."

Tsukikage stared at Masumi, but betrayed no emotions as she said:

"After what just happened, you're offering me a job?"

"Unlike some," he leaned back in his chair, braiding his finger together over his stomach, "I keep my professional and personal grudges separate. My father needs a teacher; you're a good teacher. The fact that you're blackmailing me has nothing to do with it. You'll still do your job properly, should you choose to accept the position, and my father will be happy, so why should I let my feelings interfere? Didn't you follow the same logic when you decided to give your student to Daito? You hate us, me especially, but as you trust that we will make her into a great actress, you went against your own unprofitable emotions in order to procure the best results."

Tsukikage's mask slipped at that, and there was heat in her voice when she said:

"If I hadn't had this advantage over you, I would've never given her to you."

Masumi tilted his head, smirking as he met Tsukikage's eye. "I wonder about that. But no matter," he waved his hand, dismissing the subject, "hypothetical scenarios bore me even more than ethics. What's your answer? Will you continue to be a burden on the few students you have left, or will you decide to become a functioning member of society again?"

Tsukikage took a deep breath, trying to keep her hands from shaking.

"... Yes," she finally said. "I'll do it."

"How kind of you," Masumi said, not the least bit surprised. "Come back here at the same time tomorrow. I'll have everything you need ready by then. Well then," he rose, bowing slightly, "goodbye. Would you like me to call you a cab?"

Without a word or another glance, Tsukikage exited the room.

"I suppose that's a no," Masumi murmured.

He lit another cigarette, taking deep breaths from it as he walked up to the window.

"Sir," Mizuki began, "I'm sorry—"

"Don't speak," Masumi interrupted, leaning against the window frame. "I've a lot to plan for. Unless you've something constructive to say, don't break my concentration."

As Mizuki'd never been taught how to deal with blackmail, she was silent, feeling deeply inadequate as she watched her boss trying to come up with a way to make the best of a horrible situation. Yet at the same time, she was intrigued: how would he deal with Tsukikage? Would he play along with her conditions, or would he fight back?

She would feel shame over her morbid interest in her boss's affair, if she didn't know that he'd rather she find the situation entertaining than pitiful.

Masumi's face was completely emotionless as he stared out the window, his posture relaxed and his body still. It was clear that he was thinking about what to do in an analytical, detached manner, as though he was planning a hostile takeover.

_If anyone would be able to erase unfavourable emotions out of necessity,_ Mizuki thought, strangely fascinated as she stared at her boss, _it would be Masumi Hayami._

She'd no idea whether she was favourable to the idea or not.

OXOXO

"Welcome home, Teacher!"

While it was hard to tell with Tsukikage, Rei felt that there was something out of sorts with her mentor. For one, she'd entered their shabby apartment as quietly as a mouse, which was quite unlike her; whatever Tsukikage did, she did with panache.

"I'm home," Tsukikage said, out of breath and pale.

"Is there something wrong?" Rei walked up to Tsukikage, touching her arm. "You look tired."

"It's nothing," Tsukikage said, surprising Rei yet again when she didn't shrug off her touch. "I just stayed out for too long. I'll be fine if I just rest for a bit."

"I'll prepare your futon," Rei said, nearly running to perform the task.

Tsukikage smiled faintly, following her student into their shared bedroom at a much slower pace. Even though she wasn't suffering from any real physical exertion, her body felt heavy, and she settled down onto her futon with a feeling of deep relief.

"There," Rei said, closing the blinds. "Do you want me to wake you in about an hour, in time for dinner?"

"Yes," Tsukikage said, pulling up the covers of the futon, "thank you."

That disconcerted Rei even further; Tsukikage was not one to utter inane niceties, even when they were earned. She made her appreciation known in other, more subtle gestures.

"Sleep well," Rei murmured, her forehead creasing as she slid the door to the bedroom shut behind her.

Tsukikage knew that she'd worried her student, but her meeting with Masumi had unsettled her to the degree that she could barely keep her anger and fear under wrap.

Naturally, she'd expected to feel some unrest; she had, after all, blackmailed someone, using even more morally reprehensible means than what was standard for the practise. But her torment didn't originate from her regret at her own behaviour, but rather at Masumi's.

She'd lashed out at him with every harsh word she could think of, and she knew that each one of them had wounded him. A normal man would've crumbled under the assault, would've lashed back, but not Masumi. He'd just shrugged off the pain, smiled and offered her a job.

How could you make war with a man that could take a shot to the heart with a smile and a "Nice shot"? Had she misread him? Was he just playing along with her accusation in order for Daito to get Maya?

_No,_ she told herself sternly. _I know what I saw; there's only one explanation for why he'd look at her like that._

But while she'd properly diagnosed the symptoms, the source of Masumi's disease eluded her. She'd thought he liked Maya because she was easily overwhelmed by charisma but stubborn in her beliefs; she was a challenge that never ceased being amusing. She'd thought he'd want to keep his feelings a secret because he didn't want to lose whatever game he was playing with the young actress.

But if all it had been was a need for domination, he wouldn't have given up so easily. Yet for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what other reason he could have not to want to alert Maya about his feelings.

_But I will find out._ Tsukikage had finally managed to calm down, still and distant as she thought up a new game plan. _If he refuses to tell me, I'll make him tell me. By any means necessary._

Tsukikage supposed she should be worried about how easy it was for her to fall asleep to the thoughts about how to ruin a man. Her moral view didn't differ greatly from Masumi's, however: if they got the job done, why question the means to an end?

OXOXO

There were very few situations that could so much as ruffle Mizuki's cool. This was, in part, why she'd been chosen to serve Masumi, as he had a tendency to attract every category of trouble. She always got things done, no matter what obstacle might appear.

Currently, however, the problem she was trying to solve was a girl bawling like a child, and the obstacle that stood in her way was a traffic jam. The girl in question, Maya, had been crying her eyes out ever since they'd left her former residence in favour of one of Daito's dormitories. She showed no signs of stopping, even though the people in the cars next to them were staring at her.

_Dear __god_, Mizuki thought, sighing impatiently, _but she's been at it for __fifteen minutes__! It should be scientifically impossible for a girl this small to contain that much liquid. _

"You're going to get dehydrated if you don't stop crying," she told the bereaved girl, leaning against the car door, deciding that if she was going to be humiliated, she might as well be comfortable.

Maya hiccupped, rubbing her wet eyes with her sleeve, and made an effort to speak:

"Hayami must've—must've done something—bad! Teacher would've never—_never_—!"

She broke off as another high-pitched sob wracked her small frame. She curled up into a tight ball, rocking back and forth in her seat, shaking with grief. Mizuki just rolled her eyes; a tantrum tends to invoke less pity the longer it goes on.

_It'__s amazing,_ Mizuki mused, watching Maya wail. _Here's a girl who seems to have missed a vital stage in achieving mental maturity, yet there's a war being waged over her._

It was almost comical: a woman who'd do anything to win and a man who prided himself in his coldness were fighting like vicious children over an oblivious girl.

While Tsukikage and Masumi were possibly the most withdrawn people in Japan, never revealing their thoughts or emotions unless it was strictly necessary, Mizuki'd been able to catch a glimpse of their attachment to Maya. She'd no doubt that they both thought of the actress as a pawn in their schemes and cared more about "The Crimson Goddess". But if that was all there was to it, Tsukikage wouldn't have sounded so proud when she'd described her relationship with her protégée, and Masumi wouldn't have been shaking at the prospect of being rejected by her.

Mizuki bit down hard as she thought back to what had transpired between the aged actress and her boss. She couldn't fully understand the depth of their devotion to Maya, nor their hatred for each other, but she knew that if things had been different, they would've gotten on like a house on fire. Ridiculous as it may be to compare a bohemian diva with an unemotional corporate giant, there was something strikingly similar about them. They carried themselves with the same calculated grace, guarded themselves with the same harsh front and made use of the same limited, convoluted logic to justify their actions. It was as though they couldn't—or wouldn't—see past "The Crimson Goddess", and therefore only saw the other as an obstacle that needed to be overcome—at any cost, apparently.

It vexed Mizuki that two otherwise so brilliant people would be so short-sighted. It was... _unprofessional_.

"Miss Mizuki, are you alright?"

Mizuki snapped out of her thoughts in response to Maya's query. She glanced at the girl, and noted that she was merely between fits; her lip was still trembling, and it was with obvious difficulty that she'd managed to keep her voice steady enough to speak.

"I'm fine," Mizuki assured her, smoothing out her frown. "I was just thinking that this might be the most embarrassing thing I've ever experienced."

Maya blinked, surprised by the secretary's humour. Then, she smiled with genuine mirth, and sheepishly told Mizuki:

"Sorry. I've always been a cry-baby; I can't help it."

"... It's fine," Mizuki said. "You've a lot to take in."

Maya giggled strangely before she put her forehead back onto her knees, new tears springing to her eyes. Mizuki noted, with some bewilderment, that she was making an effort to be quiet in her wallowing.

As much as the feud between Tsukikage and Masumi had preoccupied her, Mizuki felt a sudden surge of sympathy for Maya. She couldn't think of anyone who would want less to do with the cloak-and-dagger routines her mentor and Masumi were currently trying to perfect. A girl who muffled her sobs if she thought they were bothering someone... Did she really deserve to be caught up in this?

_I could tell her,_ Mizuki thought. _It would be messy, and I would certainly be fired, but at least it would force them into a ceasefire before they can do any more damage._

Mizuki could've told Maya all about the blackmail, but she didn't. It wasn't because Masumi would see her ruined if she did; she had contacts overseas that she was sure even he couldn't influence, so there was no chance of her ending up in "impoverished obscurity". Deep down, she felt that this was between Tsukikage and Masumi, and that her interference would be... unsportsmanlike. Even deeper, she felt that it would be a shame to put a stop to such an interesting game, no matter how destructive and counterproductive it was.

Another reason as to why Mizuki'd been hired to serve Masumi was because they had compatible views on morality, namely that it was a good topic to discuss philosophically, but had little foothold in the real world. If what it took to uphold the reputation of Daito and its vice-president was the tears of a girl who probably blubbered at spilt milk, so be it.

This determination wavered, however, as Maya was _still crying_ when she was installed in her new dorm room. Mizuki could deal with a lot of things, but crying fits that mocked the laws of physics wasn't one of them.

_Is that girl a __camel__, or __what__?_ Mizuki thought as she was driven to Daito's headquarters, grinding her teeth. _That's it; I've already gone far beyond what my duty requires when I became Mr Hayami's confidante. If he and Miss Tsukikage are so keen on traumatizing teenage girls, then let them deal with the fallout._

Normally, Mizuki wouldn't have cared about being forced to escort a grief-stricken girl from point A to point B, even if it wasn't in her job description. But when said duty made her chest constrict with what she considered to be undeserved guilt, she felt that enough was enough.

She entered Masumi's office with the intention of telling him just that, though in a subtler fashion. One look at her boss's face, however, made it clear that any such approach, no matter how discreet, wouldn't be well received.

Ever since his meeting with Tsukikage, his expression had retained a distant quality. On the occasions when he wasn't required to communicate with anyone, he lived solely in his head. He ate when prompted, and had even begun to schedule when to smoke, so that his thoughts wouldn't be sidetracked by the need for nicotine.

He looked up from his work, emotions slowly seeping into his face as he greeted her:

"Evening, Mizuki. How did Miss Kitajima take the news of her transfer?"

"She cried like a sick, abandoned puppy all the way to the dorm," Mizuki answered, immediately busying herself with organizing the mess of reports on Masumi's desk. "She's probably still crying."

"I figured she would," Masumi murmured, rising from his chair. "She's co-dependent _and_ she lacks self-control—a winning combination."

Mizuki put the dossiers down mid sorting. The bitter undercurrent in her boss's voice informed her that he required her undivided attention.

Masumi sat down on his desk next to her. "I've given my situation a lot of thought. The most ideal solution would be to force Tsukikage into a situation so disadvantageous that she'll be forced to give up on blackmailing me but still leave Maya in our care."

"You've come up with a way to do that?"

Masumi smiled faintly, shaking his head. "All that matters to Tsukikage is 'The Crimson Goddess'. She's risked her life for it countless of times; nothing I could do will make her give up on it. Bribery, intimidation, sheer force... It'll all lead to the same unprofitable end."

"Then you intend to let Tsukikage get away with this?"

Masumi's smile widened into something unpleasant. "And exactly what is she 'getting away with'? She's given Maya to us, and all it took was agreeing to a few frivolous demands. If she needs to threaten us to feel secure about her position, then why not go along with it?"

"Sir," Mizuki said, her tone strained, "she's blackmailing you. That's hardly frivolous, nor is it something you should accept."

"I can't do anything about it right now," Masumi said, shrugging casually. "It would be counterproductive. I have no choice but to accept the situation as is and adapt to it."

"No matter what you've done, sir, she's no right to do this."

"Of course she has. If I were in her position, I would've done the same thing. Naturally, I would've done a far better job of it, and demanded a far higher price for my silence, but she's just a beginner. Give her time, though."

Mizuki could hardly recognize the man in front of her as Masumi Hayami. His sharp, morbidly amused smile, coupled with his self-deprecating speech, went against everything she knew about him.

"Sir," she said, "as impressive as your objectivity is, this isn't just about you and Tsukikage. You're Daito's representative. If it ever became known that you're being blackmailed, and why, our reputation would sustain heavy damage."

"As I'm known to most as 'Daito's Demonic Sociopath'," Masumi replied loftily, "I'm not sure if we have a reputation left to slander."

"All the more reason to be careful not to lose the little integrity we have left."

"That's a sound argument, I suppose. 'Daito's Demonic Paedophile' has a nasty ring to it."

Masumi became abstracted once more, his face blank as he pushed himself up off of the desk and began pacing about.

"I apologize for my thoughtless behaviour," he told Mizuki. "I had no right to be so unguarded as to attach myself to Kitajima."

"You don't need to apologize, sir. You've never done anything truly indiscriminate towards her, nor do I think you ever intended to. Besides, Maya's very easy to sympathize with."

Masumi stopped his pacing, touching his forehead, his morbid grin making a brief reappearance.

"And that's where I faulted," he said. "I felt sympathy." He shook his head, murmuring, "I _indulged_ in it."

"Sir?"

"I am very aware of what my position asks of me. I've been raised to deal with it: the pressure, the isolation, being hated, censoring myself. It doesn't bother me. But seeing her..."

He broke off, closing his eyes. When he continued, he sounded as if he was about as emotionally invested in the conversation as he would be about a lunch order:

"Kitajima is in the opposite position: she answers to no one but herself, she's surrounded by likeminded peers who love her and she's free to speak her mind. I don't envy her, but speaking to her, seeing how open and unthinking she was... It was... refreshing."

Masumi put his hand in his pocket, tilting his head. "I guess I was more tired than I thought," he remarked. He straightened up, and continued, "But life is nothing more than trial-and-error. I've caught my mistake, so all that's left to do is to rectify it and then never repeat it."

"Then... you intend to what you told Tsukikage you would: to divorce yourself from your feelings for Maya?"

"Of course. It's the best possible option. The only option. If I systematically rid myself of whatever attachment I had to her, not only will Tsukikage lose her hold on me, but I will be a better man for it. The ability to cut genuine emotional ties as though they were just pieces of strings... It's a very useful skill. I needed to develop it at some point or another; it's fortunate that I got the chance to do so when I was merely being threatened by an old woman and a child."

It was in the manner that Masumi spoke, as though he really meant every word, that made Mizuki's mouth go dry. For the first time, she could truly understand why he was called a demon, even by those who were closest to him. He lacked something that was integral to being human: a core self. He threw away character traits, mannerisms, feelings and thoughts without hesitation, and adopted whatever personality that best suited the occasion.

She was as horrified as she was impressed when she spoke:

"You seem to be taking this rather well, sir."

Masumi gave her a stiff, mechanical smile. "I've always been an adamant optimist."

There was something incredibly wrong with the world, Mizuki decided, as that statement was uttered with complete sincerity.

* * *

AN: Yeah, I know: it's all very weird. But seriously, how _awesome_ are Tsukikage and Masumi together? They're both top-notch crazy bastards on their own, but when they combine, they become, "The Magnificent Bastards". I had an insane urge to write an AU where they're the main characters and, I don't know, fight crime or something. (Don't worry; I got over it rather quickly).

Thanks for reading, darlings!


	3. Humanity

A/N: Edited by the steadfast prettyinpinkgal.

... CAT FIGHT!

* * *

Chapter Three – Humanity

Maya was good with change. If "Accepting Change" was a sport, she would be one of the favourites to win the Olympic gold. But there was a frozen limit as to how much she could tolerate, and that limit had been passed with leaps and bounds when she'd suddenly been transferred to Daito's care. Others might have a hard time understanding why she was so upset about being hired by one of the most prestigious production companies around, but they didn't know what she knew: that Daito was home of the antichrist.

Said demonic figure was sitting on a sofa across from her, and, in a vain attempt to appear human, went by the name Masumi Hayami. His secretary, Mizuki, had brought Maya to his office in order to sign the contract that would bind her to Daito. She'd pointedly refused to greet Masumi, informing Mizuki that she wasn't going to sign anything until she'd had a chance to talk to Tsukikage. Mizuki'd informed her that she needn't make such a fuss, as her mentor was already on her way, and the room had lapsed into a tense silence.

Maya was on edge, but not just because her mentor had supposedly handed her over to the enemy. When she'd chosen to ignore Masumi's presence, she'd expected him to react to her slight. He'd made his feelings about her lack of social graces amply clear in the past, and considering that he was about to become her superior, a sharp reprimand was definitely in order. Yet he was simply sitting there, comfortably propped up against a pillow, going through a dizzying amount of papers with an unconcerned expression.

For some reason she couldn't name, she was put off by his silence, and decided to try and break it. She cleared her throat, and waited until Masumi met her eye before she stammered:

"G-good day, Mr Hayami."

She'd thought he'd smirk and say, "Took you long enough", proving his unresponsiveness to be nothing more than a passive-aggressive test of character. All he did, however, was to acknowledge her greeting with a nod and then return to his work.

And that dismissive, anti-climatic gesture was what shattered the frozen limit into a thousand pieces. Maya snapped:

"This is _really_ annoying! You snatch me from my home, without _any warning_, and now you won't even say 'Hi'!"

While anyone would agree that that sort of acidic provocation required instant attention, Masumi took his sweet time before even deigning to glance at Maya. When he spoke, his voice was drier and cooler than what Maya was accustomed to:

"It was on your mentor's orders that we 'snatched' you. Besides which, it took you ten minutes to even consider greeting me. You might want to stop throwing stones in glass houses, and see if the quality of your life won't improve."

Maya grimaced, going red; while his tone was different, his particular brand of devastating sarcasm remained as characteristic as always.

"A-anyway," she cleared her throat again, squaring her shoulders, "I don't believe that Teacher would give me to Daito. I'm not doing anything until I see her."

Masumi lips parted in a silent sigh. "We have a contract with her signature on it. Would that be proof enough?"

"No," Maya sniffed. "It's probably fake, anyway."

Masumi made a face, as though he was a creature of infinite serenity whose patience was nonetheless wearing thin.

"You're confusing your naive suppositions with reality again," he drawled. "Daito's not a crime syndicate. We don't have the resources needed to fake signatures, and even if we did, we wouldn't waste them on this."

While Maya would be in her full right to flip out with murderous rage at Masumi's insult, she didn't. Offstage, she wasn't exactly observant of her surroundings, but she knew that she and Masumi had developed a bizarre, almost morbid pattern: he'd tease her, she'd try to ignore him, he'd say something she had to react to (often with anger), and then he'd laugh like a gleeful child at the damage he'd caused. Now, however, he didn't look like he was enjoying himself, even though he'd gotten in some really good zingers.

Maya didn't know why—_really_ didn't know why—but Masumi's sombreness disconcerted her.

"... Are you alright?" she asked him, head tilted as she eyed him curiously.

Masumi's eyes widened slightly at the unexpected concern. "I'm fine." He mimicked her head tilt as he said, "Why do you ask?"

"It's just..." Maya flushed, as she had no idea how to explain herself without sounding stupid. "I thought you'd be even meaner than you usually are, but you're... different."

Masumi was silent for a while, apparently thinking hard about how to answer her simple query. Finally, he shrugged, and said:

"I've just decided to stop trying to keep up with you. Having a conversation with you is like trying to stop an out-of-control tank with one hand tied behind one's back—it's not only tiring, but potentially life threatening as well. To conserve my energy, I will only converse with you if there are no other alternatives available."

As patient as Maya usually was, there were just some things that no mortal can endure. That speech was one of them.

"H-how is talking to me life threatening?" Maya cried, glaring daggers at Masumi. "And how am I a tank?"

Masumi remained largely unmoved by her outburst, though the corners of his lips rose an almost infinitesimal amount.

"I just used an out-of-control tank as a metaphor for your irrational conversational habits, and the adjective 'life threatening' as a colourful embellishment to emphasize my perfectly legitimate point. I'm sorry if abstract imagery and general eloquence somehow personally offends you."

"_Oh_," Maya growled, slapping her hands against the plush sofa, "but that's _just_—"

Maya never got to finish the sentence, as the doors behind her clicked open to admit Tsukikage. Maya immediately got up on her feet, greeting her mentor like an overeager puppy, missing the way Masumi and Mizuki tensed up at her teacher's arrival.

Maya's initial burst of energy faded at her teacher's cold reception, and she was subdued as they sat down on the couch.

"You haven't signed the contract yet?" Tsukikage asked Maya, seeing the unmarked piece of paper in front of her student.

"Ah, no," Maya said, fidgeting. "I just... Are you really giving me to Daito?"

"Yes," Tsukikage said, dismissively, as though it wasn't really worth discussing. "Is that all you were waiting for?"

"Ah... I was..." Maya blinked, swallowing hard before she continued, "I don't understand; you _hate_ Daito! Why would you give me to them, after all they've done?"

"Because they have capital," Tsukikage said. "They have connections. They'll get you the best roles available. Why not join them?"

Maya stared at her teacher as though she'd never seen her before. "Because they're _evil_!"

Masumi felt a strong urge to roll his eyes, but knew that any form of participation in the conversation would rub Tsukikage the wrong way. Thankfully, Mizuki gave an irritated sigh in his stead.

"The management is morally questionable," Tsukikage admitted, "but they do get results. Corruption is a common feature in the world, Maya; it's better to know how to use the Devil to your benefit than to ignore his existence, tempting though it may be."

Her eyes were trained directly at Masumi as she spoke. He just smiled, however, telling her politely:

"I'm flattered that you would give me such a high mythological ranking."

Tsukikage returned his smile, which disconcerted him far more than a murderous glare would've. Maya, being the one person in the room who still had some solid connection with reality, felt a desperate need to bring the conversation back on track:

"But I don't want to work for Daito! I want to stay with you and the others! I want you to teach—"

"Don't be a brat!" Tsukikage snapped, making Maya flinch back. "You can't walk through life expecting someone to hold your hand every step of the way. I've never taught Ayumi anything, and she's already far ahead of you."

Maya could say nothing to that, as she wasn't the sort of person who argued over obvious truths.

"I'm not your teacher anymore," Tsukikage continued. "Educating you specifically was never my priority; it was just a way for me to increase the chances of finding someone suitable to play 'The Crimson Goddess'. A candidate has to be able to progress as fast as possible, and under their own power. I will not leave what I've lived for in the hands of someone who can't protect it. Do you understand?"

Maya was obviously on the brink of tears, sucking in a shuddering breath. Mizuki stiffened, anticipating another epic crying fit, but apparently Maya cared enough about Tsukikage's opinion to collect herself.

"Yes," Maya said, her voice and her smile too bright to be natural. "Yes, of course I understand. I'm sorry, I was just," her mask slipped, agony showing on her face before she covered it up again, "I was surprised. I'll, I'll sign the contract."

She reached up a hand to her face, pretending to scratch her head to hide the fact that she was brushing away a tear. The clumsy gesture didn't leave any of the adults in the room unaffected, but there was too much at stake for them to give it anymore than a passing consideration.

Tsukikage rewarded Maya's obedience by squeezing her hand, saying, her voice much softer now that she'd gotten the results she'd wanted:

"But while you need to learn how to live independently," Tsukikage turned her head, smirking at Masumi, "there's no reason to throw you to the wolves straight away. I'll attend any meetings that Masumi sees fit to organize for you, to make sure nothing untoward happens."

As had been proven several times over the last week, Masumi had a high tolerance for insults. Trying to enrage him with caustic remarks was like flicking water on a greased up duck: a practice in futility that ultimately left you looking foolish. But the way Tsukikage had gazed at him when she'd said "wolves", the spiteful disgust in her eyes, made his mouth go dry.

Masumi'd planned to keep a low profile during this meeting, for obvious reasons. He might be the sort of person who pushed until things broke, but even he realized that deliberately provoking someone who was able to destroy him was imprudent. The knowledge didn't deter him from doing just that, however:

"You free to say what you want about us, madam, but we do have one good quality that you lack: patience."

"Patience?" Tsukikage repeated in a very unflattering manner.

"Yes. We expect a lot from our actors, true, but we still let them grow at their own pace. We help them become the best they can be; we don't groom them," he said the word "groom" in the same unctuous way Tsukikage'd uttered "wolves", "for our own purposes. We don't guilt them into thinking that they have to near kill themselves to be of any worth."

Hopefully, the tense, quiet fury on Tsukikage's face would prove to be worth the world of hurt Masumi was in for. He could feel Mizuki wince beside him; had she been able to, she probably would've kicked his shin, in a vain hope to condition him to associate morbidity with pain.

"Don't talk to Teacher like that!" Maya growled at him before Tsukikage could stop her.

"But it's true, isn't it?" he said, adding fuel to the fire with a gentle, sympathetic grin. "Her priority will always be 'The Crimson Goddess', shorty, never you. If you turn out to be more of a hindrance than a help in achieving her goal, she won't think twice about cutting you out of her life. Daito, however, will always cherish you as an actress," he picked up the fountain pen lying next to the unsigned contract, holding it out to Maya, "no matter what."

Tsukikage scowled at Masumi, but made no attempt to refute his claims. Maya was painfully aware of this, biting down hard on her lower lip to hold back a sob. She gave a jerk, which had probably been intended to be a nod, and reached for the pen.

As her vision was impaired by the unshed tear, she stretched her hand out too far. Seeing that their fingers were about to touch, Masumi acted on instinct: he dropped the pen before snatching his hand back as though it'd been burnt. Maya, momentarily shocked out of her grief, merely ogled at him, mouthing, "Eh?". The heat of mortification that was already spreading over Masumi's body became almost unbearable as Tsukikage leaned forward, watching him intently.

"How clumsy you are," she remarked approvingly, her grin sweet and sickeningly smug.

Masumi tried to lower his body temperature through will alone as Mizuki retrieved the pen from the where it'd fallen onto the floor.

_It was a mistake to try to assert myself in an unknown situation so recklessly,_ Masumi noted clinically. _I should've let her have the allusion of dominating me, while never really showing any weakness._

He watched Maya sign the contract with an unsteady, unwilling hand, and felt absolutely nothing. Whatever satisfaction the situation could've inspired was neutralized by the predatory gleam in Tsukikage's eyes.

_Well,_ he, ever the optimist, told himself, _she would've taken every opportunity given to shamelessly abuse me anyway, so it doesn't really matter what I let slip. _

He even managed to throw Tsukikage off by giving her a genuine smile. After all, if you couldn't laugh at the fact that you were being hounded by a middle-aged diva with a heart condition, then your sense of humour was clearly lacking.

Though, then again, maybe a survival instinct, coupled with a sense of propriety, made up for missing out on a few laughs. Masumi supposed he would know this for certain soon enough.

OXOXO

Because the day apparently hadn't exceeded its limit of morbid awkwardness, the contract signing was followed by a dinner at a high class restaurant. It was standard procedure to inaugurate new clients with a little wine and friendly chatting, to show them that they would be well taken care of. Masumi had contemplated trying to bail out on the dinner, but as that would force him to explain his unwillingness to participate in the procedural to Tsukikage, he decided to just shut up and take it.

He rather regretted this passive course of action, as Tsukikage began the dinner conversation with:

"So, is it a common occurrence for you to take underage actresses out to dinner?"

_Oh, yes,_ Masumi thought, _bring out the paedophile jokes right off the bat. No need to start small. Enough; passive or not, she'll still be insufferable. I might as well take the opportunity to suss out where the boundaries are._

"Not at all," he said pleasantly. "More often than not, my lunch partners consist of middle-aged men. I'm afraid that I haven't the fortune of being surrounded by as many impressionable youths as you do. One of these days, you must tell me the secret behind your 'Pied Piper' routine."

Maya made a strangled noise over her appetizers while Mizuki rubbed the bridge of her nose with a weary sigh. It'd been too much to ask for them to show some basic consideration for the people at the table who weren't part of their epic grudge match.

"I'm sure you'd love to be able to attract youngsters," Tsukikage said, "but for the safety of children everywhere, I think it's better if I keep my secrets to myself."

"I assure you, I had no more than a casual interest in the subject. Unlike you, I've no aspiration to play dictator over a bunch of toddlers. But what I really wanted to ask is whether your regressive, black-and-white view of the world is adopted to help you cope with your vast misfortune, or if you're just as childish as the people you cheat out of a proper future?"

"Yes, of course it's childish to think the worst of a sociopathic, narcissistic man, let alone one who is frequently demonized by his own colleagues."

"Pray tell, what should one think about a faded diva who's living vicariously through her students?"

To any potential onlookers, their table would've seemed very peculiar; Masumi and Tsukikage looked as though they were merely exchanging some polite small talk, while Maya and Mizuki wore the sort of horrified expressions that were usually reserved for witnesses of violent accidents. Maya wanted to come to her teacher's defence, but found that the malicious undercurrent in the conversation was so far beyond her comfort zone, she couldn't command her mouth to do anything but gape. Mizuki felt a strong urge to stab her employer with her fork and inform him that this was _not _the correct manner in which to address one's blackmailer. The only thing that stopped her was that Masumi would most likely just give her a look, say, "Do you mind?", and go right back to shooting himself in the foot.

"It's rather amusing," Tsukikage said, "that a man who's let his whole life be planned out by another person would accuse me of making other people's decisions for them. I've made my own path, and I encourage my students to do the same, because that's the only way one can truly live. A life devoid of substance, lived simply because it's the most convenient course of action... Death would be preferable, don't you think?"

As her life had once depended on being able to interpret people's body language, Tsukikage was a damn good judge of character. That's why she could pinpoint the very second that her insult failed to make its mark, if only because Masumi emphasized her failure with a smirk.

"Ah, yes," Masumi leaned forward, faking innocent interest, "I was wondering when you were going to bring up the whole 'pain builds character' argument. It's a thespian favourite, after all."

Tsukikage pursed her lips, but stayed silent as Masumi continued:

"I actually have a theory concerning that particular ascetic belief, or more specifically, about the people who believe in it. People who feel compelled to aim as high as possible, even though they have scarce resources, no people skills and no luck whatsoever, they get into professions where it's more likely for them to win the lottery than get a decent career, they fall in love with people they can never have and they set out to singlehandedly accomplish impossible goals. They justify their self-destructive choices by thinking that whatever agony they feel will strengthen them. But pain is just pain; it won't make you more noble or steadfast than a man who lives, as you said, 'because it's the most convenient course of action'. In fact, I should imagine that the bitterness felt over losing, even as you set yourself up for failure, would serve to make a person rather... twisted."

And that was the sound of the gauntlet being thrown. Up until now, Masumi and Tsukikage had done nothing more than jab at each other, the adult equivalent of schoolyard taunts. That, however, was a very direct, vicious attack.

If there was one thing that could be said about Tsukikage with absolute certainty, it was that she never backed down from a challenge. She leaned forward, as though Masumi'd just made an interesting point, and said:

"So you mean to link having dreams with self-destruction, and apathy with nobleness?"

"You've a gift of oversimplifying things in a way that is almost artful," Masumi remarked, mirroring Tsukikage's action. "I mean that pursuing fantasies just because you can't face reality is the sign of a weak character, and that people who live to be comfortable can at least boast about having a stable psyche."

"I don't know about that. While crisis is, as you say, something to be avoided, at the very least, it's intellectually stimulating. It teaches you what humanity really is, and what you're truly capable of. I've dealt with the worst life has to offer, and I've only become stronger because of it. You can't call that a weakness, even if I never accomplish my goals. But a man who limits his world to only include comfortable things, ignoring that fact that pain, while just being pain, is an unavoidable part of life... A mind like that quickly atrophies into an uninteresting and useless thing that can never evolve or even keep a child satisfied."

There were a few moments of tense silence, in which Maya hunched down over her plate until her nose was practically touching it and Mizuki fantasized about a work environment where insulting philosophical debates weren't the norm. Masumi, however, merely stared at Tsukikage, maddeningly inscrutable.

The former actress was about to make another biting observation, just to tease some sort of response out of Masumi, when he suddenly gave way to her wishes: he laughed. It was a low, breathy noise, almost soundless, and if it hadn't been enforced with a sharp, open-mouthed smile, Tsukikage would've doubted in its existence.

"I always thought you were a reckless idealist," he said, still wearing his wild grin, "but you're just like me: shrewd and unapologetic for all the ugly things you are, simply because you have an excuse for them. Isn't it liberating, enduring and exercising cruelty because, well," he shrugged, spreading his hands, "that's just what life is? We can break up families, even torment others, because if pain's unavoidable, then why not use it in the name of the greater good?"

Tsukikage said nothing, imperial and rigid in her seat, like a queen being told bad news. In contrast, Masumi was relaxed, his gaze the only thing that revealed his intensity as he continued:

"I'm not spoilt, sheltered or evil, and you don't belong up on a pedestal. You're just as much of a conspiring opportunist as I am. The only difference is that when I tell people I'll make them into a star, I actually _deliver_. I don't feed them with empty promises and undeserved burdens. Maya is too young to make truly informed decisions, yet you've taken her from her mother, from any sort of reliable future, and made her feel as though she's _indebted_ to you for doing so."

Maya rose from her plate to protest, but was silenced by the hand Tsukikage closed around her wrist. As much as she wanted to retaliate, this was the opportunity she'd been waiting for. The derision in Masumi's voice and the dark amusement on his face were genuine. This was what Masumi truly was: an aberrant, angry, mercurial man.

It hardly came as a surprise.

Tsukikage gave him a calm smile, the tension seeping out of her frame. "I'm just glad you know that there are some lines that adults shouldn't cross."

Masumi closed his eyes, ran a hand over his furrowed forehead and resigned himself to his fate:

"I'm never going to be able to win another argument against you, am I?"

"No," Tsukikage confirmed. "And I'm not going to go easy on you."

"I'd expected as much, but it's always nice to know exactly where one stands. Apparently," he drained his wine glass in one go, putting it back on the table with a bang, "I'm in Hell."

"That you are," Tsukikage hummed jubilantly. "The best thing is that it was your own steps that carried you there."

Masumi narrowed his eyes. "That veers dangerously close to ethical discussion. You're free to torture me, just don't bore me while you do so."

"And you telling me I'm a cradle snatching witch doesn't amount to ethical discussion?"

"No; that's a conclusion anyone with a modicum of common sense would've arrived at."

"You're awfully mouthy for a man in your delicate position."

"Like I said," Masumi smirked, "I'm an opportunist. If I'm offered a liberty, I'll damn well take it."

"Like a rat scrabbling around a kitchen for crumbs," Tsukikage cooed, almost sounding fond.

Masumi just glared at her, as the waiter had come to deliver the first course. Thankfully, the animosity that had previously enshrouded the table temporarily evaporated, as Tsukikage and Masumi had both gotten the information they'd needed.

"Ah," Maya breathed, wincing at how her voice rung out in the silence, "I-I was wondering... I left so suddenly, I didn't get to say goodbye to Rei and the others."

"Mizuki informed them of what happened," Masumi said, waving his hand dismissively. "There'll be no missing person report filed about you."

"Y-yes, but... I'd still like to say goodbye in person."

"I suppose that can be arranged. As long as we're clear that that's the last you'll see of them."

Masumi returned to his food, as though he saw no reason as to why his last remark would be cause for any concern. His act was quickly revealed for the sham that it was when he didn't even react to Maya's outcry of:

"What?"

"Friends are nice things to be had, of course," Masumi said after he'd finished swallowing his mouthful of terrine. "They served as your support and colleagues back in your indie days, but now, you're part of a different status quo. Don't waste your time with people who can't give you anything in return."

"Is that your philosophy?" Tsukikage asked him, mirroring his indifference to Maya's bewildered spluttering.

"It is," he said, "and therefore, I can vouch for its effectiveness."

Tsukikage pursed her lips, gazing at Masumi with pity. "To say that that philosophy works is to say that you work, and that's a paradox in and of itself."

"Hold that thought," Masumi said, raising his arm, trying to signal a waiter over. "If we're to have another discussion about my defunct character, I'm going to need a fresh bottle of wine."

"Stay your hand. I was merely trying to lead into overruling your decision."

"On what basis, other than spite?"

"On the basis that you have a friendless child's insight into human relations." Tsukikage's expression lost its mirth, turning cold and stern. "I don't Maya to become like you, and I'm fairly certain she herself would rather die than suffer that fate.

"You have one task to perform, and one task only: make her a star. You only need to promote her, not corrupt her, to reach that goal."

Masumi cocked his head condescendingly. "You think life is kind to sentimental idealists?"

"I don't think life is kind, period. I do, however, know that it's too short to spend with insufferable blowhards. Present company excluded," she added, gesturing at the vice-president.

Masumi didn't bother replying to that beyond giving a sardonic nod.

"So Maya gets to keep her friends," he told no one in particular. "We'll see how long that lasts, and how big a hindrance they become."

"Your joie de vivre would put an epicurean to shame," Tsukikage commented drily.

Figuring that the veteran actress would have nothing left to berate him on, as she'd already made fun of his occupation, lifestyle, social life and authority, Masumi allowed himself to truly relax for the first time that week. It was of course at this moment that Mizuki choose to lean towards him, her voice hushed and strained as she told him:

"Sir, I think it might be best if we left."

Usually, Masumi would've rejected this request gracefully. But as he'd been the target of vicious verbal attacks all day, he was more inclined to snort:

"As nice as a change of scenery would be, I'll still be paying for this overpriced dinner no matter what, being the breadwinner of this table. I should at least get some nourishment out of it."

"Sir," Mizuki insisted, "I really think you'd prefer leaving right now. I may have done something... unwise."

Masumi raised an eyebrow, but before he could ask her to clarify herself, a waiter approached Maya:

"Excuse me, miss, but are you Maya Kitajima?"

At Maya's nod and stuttered "Yes", the waiter presented her with a purple rose wrapped up with a black silk bow. "Someone told me to give this to you."

For the first time since she'd left her friends, Maya smiled, her eyes wide with awe as she accepted the rose.

Nothing about Masumi's expression changed during the delivery, other than the fact that his lips were drawn into a tense line. This was a strong show of self-control on his part, as he hadn't ordered that rose and strongly suspected that whoever had was trying to send him a message.

He stole a glance at Tsukikage; it would be just like her to assert her dominance over him in such an overly dramatic manner. But as the aged actress was currently grilling the waiter for details about who'd given him the rose, he concluded that that particular shameful secret was at least safe from her prying eyes.

He turned back to Mizuki, about to ask her how she had erred as a way to distract himself. The look on her face—a mix of guilt and pity—told him all he needed to know about who'd sent the rose and why.

A bone deep weariness, which bore an uncomfortable resemblance to helplessness, beset him. He was used to people assigning vices onto him, but not human weaknesses. Perhaps it disturbed him so much because of its novelty.

But as he watched Maya giggle over her rose, caressing the petals with careful fingers, a part of him knew he hated being humanised because it hit too close to home.

"Tsukikage," he said, rubbing his eye with the kneel of his palm, "this... situation... Whatever it is, you do understand that I never meant to act on it?"

Tsukikage just looked at him, like common sense was forbidding her from taking what she saw at face value, before letting out a crow of laughter.

"On the contrary," she continued. "Everything I know about you tells me that you'd act on it shamelessly. You always get what you want, after all, whether it's by trickery, false promises or coercion. Or, failing that, by force. Why should you be any different in this aspect?"

Mizuki set her utensils down with clatter so loud, Maya let out a gasp, nearly dropping her rose.

"That is a _vile_ thing to say," she growled, and it was clear that if they'd been somewhere more private, she would've emphasised her resentment with a slap.

Tsukikage shrugged. "He's a vile thing to be."

Masumi didn't share his secretary's displeasure, despite having every reason to do so. He merely leaned forward, sounding genuinely curious as he asked Tsukikage:

"You really think that little of me?"

"They haven't invented a measure small enough to express how little I think of you."

Masumi nodded, as though to say, "Well put".

"Well then," he said, getting to his feet, "I won't bother you with my presence anymore."

Mizuki hastily rose with him. "I'll come with you, sir."

"Thank you, Mizuki." He pulled out his wallet, carelessly throwing a few bills at the table. "There, that ought to be enough blood money to cover the costs of the meal and a cab home. But before I leave, let me just assure you, Tsukikage, that I'm not angry at you because of that tasteless insinuation. I know you don't really mean it."

"Oh? How do you figure that?"

"If you really think I was capable of something like that, you would've killed me pre-emptively. That fierce, obsessive loyalty is just part of who you are. After all," he smirked, "you've spent the last few decades trying to vindicate a man who'd rather die for a fictional woman than live with you. Think of what you might do for someone who actually _cares_ about you."

He turned around and strode out of the restaurant before his remark had properly made impact, so he didn't see Tsukikage recoil, her face pale and her eyes screwed shut.

It was just as well that he hadn't seen her reaction; the insult had left a bitter taste in his mouth, courtesy of the part of him that still knew how to differentiate right from wrong.

Now, more than ever, Masumi felt how absolutely useless and dated a device his moral compass was.

OXOXO

If asked, many people would've said that Masumi's most disturbing quality was his ruthlessness, his lack of empathy or the feeling of otherworldliness he gave off; like he didn't belong among humans. Mizuki could answer, with absolute certainty, that none of these traits even compared to the way he seemed to find genuine amusement in being the target of antagonism.

"So, Mizuki," he jovially addressed her once they were in the car, "as I've had enough of mind games today, I'm going to cut to the chase: you were the one who sent the rose."

"Yes, sir," Mizuki said, humbly inclining her head as she started the car. "I apologize for my poor timing; I didn't foresee Tsukikage being quite so... abrasive."

"It's fine," Masumi drawled, as though he had his secrets revealed and person relentlessly mocked daily, and no longer found it a bother. "I can't say I approve of your grandiose methodology, but you certainly got your message across efficiently. So what do you intend to do with your showily acquired information?"

"Nothing, sir," Mizuki said, pulling out into the street. "It's not my place to do anything with it."

Masumi quirked an eyebrow. "Really, now? You don't want anything in return for your silence? No monthly deposits into your account, no penthouse suite overlooking the river, not even a paid vacation?"

"I'm not crass as all that," Mizuki said drily. "I just want to help you get through this, sir."

"That makes perfect sense, except for that fact that it's shit. I'm a multimillionaire who's in the palm of your hand. What reason do you have not to exploit me?"

Mizuki let out a longsuffering sigh. "This may come as a surprise to you, but normal people don't need reasons to _not_ break the law."

"That might be the most stupid thing I've ever heard, but that's not what we ought to be discussing. You've no reason to be loyal to me. I'm not a sympathetic man, and from what I've managed to dig up on you, you have no reason to fear any repercussions if you betrayed me. So exactly why are you still here, if you're not hoping to get a 'raise' out of this?"

Mizuki'd wished to keep her motivations secret, but upon reflection, she should've known better. Masumi was the sort of person who not only looked gift horses in the mouth, but who sent them away if they had so much a hair out of place.

"I'm not exactly proud of this, sir," she said, "but I suppose that in the beginning, I stayed because I was intrigued. You and Tsukikage are very intelligent and complicated people. It would be interesting to see how you two would attempt to resolve this. But now, I just don't want to leave you alone in this. You're a good man, Master Masumi, and you don't deserve to be treated like a criminal."

Masumi snorted rudely. "That does explain it: you're delusional."

"You're a good man," Mizuki repeated firmly. "If you weren't, you wouldn't hate yourself as much as you do."

As they stopped at a red light, Mizuki risked a glance at her employer. He'd put his hand over his mouth, as he always did when he was overwhelmed with the need to speak his mind. He apparently managed to subdue the urge, as his next words were calm and bland:

"I want to discuss a tactic I want to adopt with you."

"Of course, sir," Mizuki said, pushing down on the gas pedal as the light turned green. "I'll offer my assistance as best I can."

"I want to kill off Purple Rose."

Mizuki suddenly realized that this wasn't an ideal conversation to have when you were trying to control a three ton vehicle. It was definitely more distracting than handling a cell phone, and more debilitating than being under the influence.

"May I ask why you want to take such drastic measures?" she asked him, once she'd managed to fix her eyes on the road.

"I'm trying to put as much distance between me and Kitajima as possible. Continuing as her secret benefactor would be contrary to that purpose. Besides, imagine what would happen if Tsukikage found out." Masumi shuddered. "Makes a man weak-kneed just to think about it."

"That's your reasoning? It's not in your interests to be kind anymore, and there's a very small chance that it'll give Tsukikage more blackmail material?"

"You're very good at summarisation, Mizuki."

_And that's the last drop_. Mizuki'd put up with insinuating divas, crying girls and guilt induced insomnia; she was damned if she'd let Masumi condescend to her.

Without asking Masumi for permission, she pulled over next to the curb, turned off the engine and yanked the keys out of the ignition.

"Sir," she began before Masumi could protest, "I understand that I can't appeal to your sense of decency. But think it through logically: Maya's in a really bad state. She's been left in the care of the people she's been taught to hate, without any idea what they're going to make her do. She's being separated from everyone and everything she's ever known and felt safe with. It would break her heart if you destroyed one of the very few sources of comfort and confidence she's got left. Broken-hearted people aren't good workers."

Masumi didn't speak for a long while, staring at the car roof to avoid meeting Mizuki's gaze. Finally, he said, still eyeing the roof:

"You're right, Mizuki. It wouldn't be beneficial if I did it now. I'm sorry." He tilted his head to the side, giving his secretary an apologetic look. "I was being short-sighted. It's just," his lips twitched before turning up into a smile, "I'm not exactly enjoying this situation. I'm a lot of things, but a burden usually isn't one of them."

As much as he frustrated and occasionally horrified her, Mizuki couldn't help but to soften at Masumi's shame.

"If you're a burden, sir," she told him, "then you're the most self-sufficient one I've ever seen."

Masumi chuckled, covering his eyes. "There's something to be said about my life when that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me for... God, I can't even remember."

"Like I said," Mizuki said, "you're a good man living under inhumane circumstances."

Masumi rolled his eyes. "Well, if you want to believe in make-believe like the good of humankind, who am I to stop you? So, now that we've resolved our differences, how about we get back to work, before you're made to answer for your illegal parking?"

As that was as close to a "Thank you" she was going to get, Mizuki obeyed the request wordlessly.

_I wonder what's to be said about the fact that I'm genuinely relieved that my boss is human,_ she thought wryly.

The answer to that was: nothing good.

* * *

A/N: One day, I'm going to write an essay about the many similarities between Masumi and Tsukikage, one of which is how they have no business being guardians to sensitive teenage girls, as they're the single most horrible role models _ever_. "Dedicate your entire life to endless grudges, kids, and don't forge any real emotional ties to other people; they only make you weak!". You'd think that people who work with theatre would know how that sort of forced emotional detachment usually works out (hint: not well, not well at all).

Now, I don't want to be, you know, needy, but as this story is rather demanding and I'm only good for dialogue, any and all advice and observations would be greatly appreciated. (In other words: please help, this thing is killing me, aaah!).


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